Friday, August 11, 2006

Why Do People Suffer From Hair Loss?

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Why Do People Suffer From Hair Loss?


You do not usually end life with the same bunch of hair that you grew up with when you were born. Unlike the eyes or nose, your hair keeps regenerating, shedding and growing.

As you turn older, you start experiencing hair loss. This natural process of ageing starts when you turn 50. However, for some people the process starts much earlier. This article examines the various causes of hair loss in men and women.

#1 Stress and Lifestyle

The fast and hurried lifestyles of today make many compromises on your diet. Emotional upheavals can cause health complications that have an adverse impact on the quality of your hair. Lack of cleanliness of the scalp and excessive dandruff problems can also cause hair loss.

#2 Hormonal imbalances

Hair growth and health depends on hormones such as thyroid and pituitary glands. Any disorders in these glands can cause hair loss. The excessive presence of a component of the male hormone - DHT can also cause hair loss. This is a genetic predisposition.

#3 Genetic factors

Inherited causes of hair loss effect the unlucky that have a family history of premature balding. In men, it is called Male Pattern Baldness, in which the hair starts receding first at the temples in a classic 'M' shape. In women, it is called Female Pattern Baldness. This is less common. It starts at age 30 and is characterized by overall thinning of hair.

#4 Side effects

Certain drugs taken for other purposes can cause hair loss as a side effect. The following is a possible list of medicines and drugs that could cause hair loss.

Cholesterol-lowering drugs
Ulcer drugs
Anticoagulants
Agents for gout
Drugs derived from Vitamin A
Anticonvulsants taken for epilepsy
Antidepressants
Blood thinners
Anabolic steroids
Chemotherapy Drugs

However, not all prescription drugs under these categories have hair loss as a side effect. This has to be checked with the doctor.

#5 Other factors

Research is being continuously conducted on the causes and solutions for hair loss. Recently, Japanese scientists concluded from studies that excessive sebum could clog the hair roots and cause hair loss. An excessive intake of some nutrients such as Vitamins A and E can actually promote hair loss.

There is no dearth of solutions, prescriptions and treatments available for hair loss. Every once in a while, a new 'wonder' drug such as Rogaine will enter the market. Not every solution will cure hair loss. The correct diagnosis has to be made before deciding on a course of action for hair loss.

Find out what causes hair loss, and discover latest techniques and ideas for effective hair loss treatment. For lots of valuable information and articles, click http://www.hair-loss-treatment-101.com/

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Which Hair Regrowth Product Will I Use Today?


When you decide to select a hair regrowth product off the store shelves without first doing research about it, you could be throwing your money away. Every one of these products advertise that they are clinically proven to be successful. Just think about it if each one of these hair regrowth products was so successful, why are there so many different ones on the market and why are there people still having problems with hair loss.

Well, you might want to know which of theses hair regrowth products is the best hair loss product to buy? That is a question that no one can really answer for you. Some people have had success with one particular product, while others claim that it is no good. If you have lots of money you can try them all and become a spokesperson for the product that you find successful.

The thing is that with any of the hair regrowth products on the market, hair regrowth does not occur overnight. They all take time, often as long as a year of continuous use in order for you to see even marginal results.

The best hair loss products are really ones that you feel comfortable using. You might prefer to use the prescribed hair regrowth products authorized by your doctor. Of all the products available for hairloss, these seem to be the ones with the most promising results.

It is important to search for the causes of your hair loss before you try any hair regrowth products because it could something simple, such as changing your diet or getting the proper medication to put your hormones back into the proper balance. Often hairloss occurs because of surgery or stress and once the situation is resolved, hair regrowth starts again without the need of any hair regrowth products.

Whichever hair regrowth product you choose to use, you have to stick with it for at least six months. You will not achieve any results if you jump from one product to the other on a weekly basis desperately trying to find the best hair loss product. The result will be a cabinet filled with all kinds of hair loss products and an empty wallet.

Be careful when looking for hair regrowth products.

For a website totally devoted to hair loss and hair replacement visit Peter's Website The Hair Replacement Guide, and find out about Female Hair Loss as well as Hair Restoration and more, including Male Hair Loss and Hair Transplants.

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Whats with My Hair Falling Out !?


Yeeee gads! My hair is falling out! This is a cry that can affect your whole family for long, awkward moments. What is it with your hair? Is it gone forever?

Let's clear up some confusion and try to notch down some panic about this kind of a look in the mirror.

About Hair

Healthy hair simply looks good. The healthier your scalp and hair follicles, the better your hair will look. If you're starting to experience some hair loss and a general decline in the overall health of your hair and scalp, it has probably been deteriorating for a while, and you're only now seeing the effects.

Hair grows in a cycle of three phases. Each individual hair is in a growth phase (anagen phase) for 2-6 years, before it enters a transition phase (catagen phase) for 1-2 weeks, and then a resting phase (telogen phase) for 5-6 weeks. After that, the hair dies and falls out. Then the follicle returns to the growth phase, and a new hair begins to grow.

In normal, healthy adults, the approximate percentages of hairs in these three different phases are:

* 84% in the growth (anagen) phase

* 0-1% in the transition (catagen) phase

* 14-15% in the resting (telogen) phase

Returning your hair follicles to the anagen growth cycle is the objective of any plan to regrow healthier hair.

DHT Effects On the Hair Follicle

The medical term for hair loss is alopecia. This is defined as a state where 20% or more of a person's hairs are in the telogen (resting) phase.

In cases of alopecia, the hair growth cycle has been altered so that the anagen (growth) phase is shortened. This results in an increased percentage of hairs in the catagen and telogen phases.

The enzyme conversion of testosterone creates a compound called Di-Hydro Testosterone (DHT). The effect of DHT on the hair follicles and oil glands of the scalp can be detrimental to the anagen phase that you want to lengthen.

In areas of hair thinning or loss, the follicles have more sites to which DHT can attach, and more DHT at those sites. This buildup of DHT near the follicles can shorten their growth phase and increase the numbers of hairs in the transition and resting phases. A continuation in this buildup of DHT will actually shrink the hair follicles, which causes their hairs to become thinner, weaker, and look less healthy.

Reality Check: No product known today will grow a hair without a viable hair follicle. Only a healthy hair follicle can grow a hair.

A healthy hair follicle can resist the negative effects of DHT buildup and continue in a normal growth cycle longer than an unhealthy one can. Hair care products that seek to lessen DHT work by binding to the same sites on the hair follicle to which DHT attaches. This blocks the abnormal response of the follicle to DHT, so it blocks the harm that is causing the weakening and loss of the hair.

The nutritional supplements recommended by a naturopathic physician work by helping the body to normalize its hormone levels, while increasing the circulation of nutrients and elimination of waste products from the hair follicle. This increases the strength of the follicle and protects it from further damage.

The amounts of the conversion enzymes that create DHT from testosterone, as well as the amounts of testosterone or cortisol, are thought to be genetically determined. This is why some people tend to have less of a problem with DHT than others.

The good news is that a person's genetic expression (i.e., how their body is now) can be changed by what that person does in the upcoming weeks, months, and years, as well as how they do it. With advances in the scientific understandings of these physical events, you can arm yourself with the right information and learn to make the changes necessary to stop a hair loss problem. We'll next explain how.

Hair Loss

A variety of health conditions and environmental factors can cause hair loss. Likewise, many different approaches can be taken to stop hair loss and even grow hair back.

Certainly, having great hair is important to us, but the body has many other important things to do on a continuous basis. Some are higher priorities than maintaining lustrous hair things like breathing, eliminating waste, absorbing food, protecting itself from infections, fleeing from danger, and so forth. If the body has a limited budget of energy, nutrients, and strength, it starts to redirect its resources to the tasks it deems most important. This is fortunate for us.

If stressful events occur to lower that 'budget,' the body may find it necessary to prioritize other functions more highly than hair growth.

For example, if a person undergoes a series of radiation treatments to kill cancer, the treatments incur a major stress on the body. The body's first priority then becomes to live and breathe to grow nice hair another day. As a result, hair loss is often the consequence of radiation treatments. Hair regrowth after this type of trauma is possible, however, depending on the state of the hair follicles and the person's overall capacity to return to health. Naturopathic doctors call this their "vital force.

Major Causes of Hair Loss

Hair loss might also be caused by various types of injury to the scalp, such as burns, radiation, acid spills, or scrapes. If the follicles are destroyed and replaced by smooth skin or scar tissue, a lotion or vitamin routine won't very likely restore hair growth. At this point, it may be time for an implant, a weave, a wig, or a toupee. Or maybe it's just time to accept the reality of a lack of hair. Bald can be beautiful, too.

Furthermore, various diseases, genetic tendencies, and auto-immune disorders can direct the body to neglect the health of the hair follicle, or even attack it directly. Some of these attacks might be triggered by environmental toxins, the side-effects of drugs, nutrient deficiencies, irregularities of hormone metabolism, or poor elimination of wastes. Here, we could discuss lifestyle choices and explanations of natural sciences such as nutrition, physiology, and biochemistry until your eyes glaze over.

If you have been taking anti-depressive medications like Zoloft or Paxil, you should be aware that the known side-effects of these types of drugs can include hair loss. The vicious cycle of compounding one's depression by having to deal with hair loss makes these drugs a thing worth trying to avoid. Work with your doctor and be smart about your use of any medications, because many drugs have negative effects on hair growth.

If you are a "stress puppy, and the slightest disruption in your plans tears you to pieces for hours or days at a time, your body's response to those stress hormones can be yet another factor in hair loss and graying. Some training in stress management or anger resolution would be your best bet, while treating the resultant hair loss with physical medicines and lotions.

Sudden Hair Loss

Sudden hair loss can occur after severe psycho-physical stresses like illness, childbirth, menopause, losing a job, or loss of a loved one. This type of hair loss appears within a few weeks or a month of the trauma, depending on its severity. It is often reversible with time, emotional healing, and the principles of physical support described here.

Hair Loss in Women

Women seldom lose their hair for reasons of genetic predisposition. They do, however, experience hair loss from the other causes we've already mentioned. In addition, women are more commonly the consumers of hair treatments which are known to damage the hair and cause breakage and thinning. Rough handling, harsh commercial shampoos, perms, hair color, bleach, and cosmetics all can damage the hair follicles. Hormone fluctuations through life events of men or women also contribute to stress on the physical condition of the hair follicle.

Factors to Consider

What does your body need to keep your hair looking good? Factors include good nutrition, effective elimination of wastes, exercise affecting the circulation, a good attitude, use of safe non-toxic products, and sensible protections from injury. These contribute to healthy glandular functions, especially of the thyroid, adrenals, gonads, and liver. If the links in this chain of hormone functions are weak or broken, your hair will probably be the least of your problems. It might just be the most visible one in your mirror, though.

Before you spend significant amounts of money on lotions or supplements to treat hair loss, try to figure out what is causing your hair to fall out, and change what you can about that underlying situation.

Enlist the help of your doctor to figure out any internal causes. Have your hormone levels tested for thyroid, adrenal, pituitary, and functions of the ovaries or testes. Make sure your nutritional intake and digestive functions are up to par. Again, this is a complex issue. It may take some study about the lotions and natural medicines available to find a plan that works for you, but the benefits to your health and appearance will be worth the effort.

For a detailed description of Dr. Lee's treatment recommendations, visit http://www.naturodoc.com/hair_comeback.htm

About The Author

Dr. Thomas Stearns Lee holds a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine (NMD/ND) from Bastyr University in Seattle, Washington. He has practiced and taught natural medicine in Arizona since 1986. His company, NaturoDoc LLC, is online at http://www.naturodoc.com, where you can find an extensive library of information on natural health approaches, as well as worldwide access to physician's-quality health products that support these concepts.

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Whats All The Fuss About Hair Growth Products?


If you are losing your hair and you are afraid that you will go bald, there are many different kinds of hair growth products on the market. When choosing the hair growth products you need, one thing that you should look at it is the products ability to accelerate hair growth and rejuvenate dead hair follicles. Most men and women like to choose products made of herbs because they dont like using the products that contain chemicals that could cause harmful side effects.

You have to read the information about the hair growth products that are available. Any product that claims to inhibit hair loss is making invalid claims. There are no legitimate products on the market with the ability to do this. One remarkable product is a hair growth pill that you can get without a doctors prescription, but you should check with the doctor before you take it. Even though many of these pills are herbal, there are still side effects. Women should avoid using this hair growth product because it does cause hair growth all over the body- not just on the head.

If you dont want to visit your doctor for a prescription for a hair loss product, you should check the pharmacy for many generic hair growth products or check online. When you check on line for a listing of these hair growth products you can read about the research and clinical studies that prove they work. You just have to remember that whether you use a shampoo, a topical solution or a hair growth pill that what works for one person may not work for you. Everyone is different and you should search for the causes of the hair loss first.

Some hair growth products are topical treatments rather than a hair growth pill. To use this type of product you have to apply it to the scalp when you wash your hair. You apply it directly to the scalp twice a day. Most users do this in the morning and then before they go to bed each night. You have to be very careful that you dont get it on the skin of any other part of the body and doctors tell you to avoid this hair growth product is you are pregnant or nursing. The active ingredient in this product is the same one used in medications that lower high blood pressure, so it is important to make sure your doctor checks out your medical history before prescribing this hair growth product.

Have you ever heard the saying Bald is beautiful. If you are experiencing hair loss why not avoid hair growth products and let nature take its course.

Hair growth products do work, but not for everybody.

For a website totally devoted to hair loss and hair replacement visit Peter's Website The Hair Replacement Guide, and find out about Hair Loss Treatments as well as Hair Restoration and more, including Male Hair Loss and Female Hair Loss.

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What Is Normal About Hair Loss?

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What Is Normal About Hair Loss?


It is important to note that shedding of hairs is a natural process with anything from 100 to 300 hairs randomly shed each day. In this article we'll look at two distinct aspects of normal hair loss. Firstly, we'll examine what is actually involved in the hair growth cycle. Secondly, we'll assess the natural progression of hair loss over time.

Hair is composed of long, twisted keratin fibers that are protected by a coating of keratinized cells. Just below the surface of the skin lies a cluster of active cells known as the dermal papilla and it is from here that the hair grows into its follicle.

This growing fiber eventually hardens and grows out from the scalp. At this stage the hair fiber is dead with only the root tip containing living cells.

In a little more detail, the hair growth cycle, consists of three distinct stages:

1. Anagen stage - a phase of growth that can last between two and seven years. On average, each hair grows about six inches (15cm) per year.

2. Catagen stage - a phase of transition that lasts roughly two to four weeks. At this time the hair shaft detaches from the dermal papilla and moves up within a shrinking follicle.

3. Telogen stage - a resting period that lasts about three months allowing the hair to detach itself from the follicle before falling out. After this, the cycle repeats itself unless other factors intervene to prevent repetition of the cycle.

Clearly time has a role to play in the development of hair loss for both men and women. Humans are born with varying amounts of soft and fine body hair. Through time some of this hair becomes stronger and develops further characteristics such as colour and texture. Up to the onset of puberty the hairline is characterized by a low spread across the forehead. For men, this continues only for a few more years.

As men progress through their twenties the hairline takes on a more mature look typified by recessions to the frontal temporal regions and accompanied by slight thinning elsewhere. This concave appearance doesn't necessarily equate to premature balding as it is all a question of degree.

The Norwood Scale is an extremely useful tool in developing a hair growth strategy as it allows you to establish your own degree of hair loss in a way that is understood by physicians and other hair loss experts. More importantly, it can help to set your mind at rest and allow you to differentiate between normal hair loss that does not require remedial action and more extreme loss that calls for immediate action.

You can assess the extent of your own hair loss by following the link below.

Richard Mitchell is the creator of the myhairlossadvisor.com, website that provides information and guidance to those suffering from premature hair loss. Please go to Normal Hair Loss to learn more about the issues covered in this article.

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What Causes Hair Loss?


Hair loss is a common problem faced by many people all around the world. There are various reasons behind hair loss. Let us look at some of the major causes and their remedies:

Hormonal problems may cause hair loss. If your thyroid gland is under active or overactive, you will suffer the problem of hair loss. This hair loss generally can be cured by treatment of the thyroid disorder. Hair loss may occur if androgens (male hormones) or estrogens (female hormones) are out of balance. Clinical treatment of hormone imbalance may stop your hair loss.

Pregnant women may notice hair loss problems with in a period of about 3 months after delivery. Hair loss problem is also related to hormones. During pregnancy, high levels of particular hormones cause the body to keep hair that would normally fall out. When the hormones return to pre-pregnancy levels, that hair falls out and the normal growth and loss cycle starts again.

Some medicines (mainly sulphur drugs) can cause hair loss. This type of hair loss problem improves when you stop taking the medicine. Medicines that can cause hair loss include anticoagulants (also known as blood thinners), medicines utilized in chemotherapy to treat cancer, medicines used for gout, vitamin A (if too much is taken), birth control pills, and antidepressants.

If you have undergone a major operation or have suffered a prolong illness you can face the problem of hair loss. However, this hair loss is related to the stress of the illness and is temporary.

Certain fungal infections can cause hair loss. Generally, children may have hair loss problems caused by a fungal infection of the scalp. This type of fungal infection can be easily treated with antifungal medicines.

Conclusively, hair loss may occur as part of an underlying disease, such as lupus or diabetes. Since hair loss may be an early sign of a disease, it is important to consult a specialist to detect the cause so that it can be treated at an early stage.

For more information, visit http://www.HairLossInfoHelp.com

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